The San Francisco 49ers agreed on Tuesday, 27 October, to acquire defensive tackle DeForest Buckner from the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for a 2027 fourth round pick. The deal is pending a physical examination, according to reporting of the trade, and it returns Buckner to the team that drafted him seventh overall in 2016 out of Oregon. San Francisco sits at 6-1, while Indianapolis sits at 2-5, and the trade came on the same day Indianapolis traded guard Quenton Nelson to Seattle.
DeForest Buckner is 32 years old and is in his 11th NFL season. He spent his first four seasons in San Francisco, from 2016 through 2019, and he helped the 49ers reach Super Bowl LIV at the end of the 2019 season. San Francisco traded him to Indianapolis after that season, and Indianapolis signed him to a long term second contract. He has been a three time Pro Bowl selection in his career, and he has remained a regular starter through 158 career games.
DeForest Buckner returns to San Francisco
DeForest Buckner recorded 12.0 sacks for San Francisco in 2018 and 7.5 sacks for the club in 2019. In his career to date, he has 75.5 sacks, 101 tackles for loss and 196 quarterback hits across those 158 games. Those totals cover four seasons in San Francisco and seven seasons in Indianapolis, where he became a central part of the Colts defensive line after the trade in 2020.
DeForest Buckner had previously signed multiple contract extensions to stay in Indianapolis, even as the Colts suffered late season collapses in recent years. He is now in the final year of his latest deal with the Colts, and he is set to become an unrestricted free agent after this season. That contract position shaped the price, with San Francisco giving up a single fourth round pick in 2027 for a veteran who can help at once without costing an early round selection.
DeForest Buckner fills a thin defensive line
DeForest Buckner will start alongside Osa Odighizuwa at tackle in San Francisco, according to reporting of the trade. The fit matters because the 49ers defensive line has been hit hard by injuries this season. Defensive end Nick Bosa has been out with a calf injury, Sam Okuayinonu has been out with a foot injury, Alfred Collins has a patellar tendon injury, C.J. West has a knee injury, and James Thompson Jr. has an ankle injury.
DeForest Buckner had a neck injury that required season ending surgery in 2025, and his age and contract length were part of the discussion around the trade price. At 32, he carries medical questions that any team acquiring him must weigh, but his snap share in 2026 showed that he could still handle a large role. San Francisco can assess his health and his fit in its defence before deciding whether to discuss a new contract after the season.
DeForest Buckner deal fits Colts rebuild
DeForest Buckner now returns to a San Francisco team that is 6-1 despite its injuries, and he joins a defence that needs interior help until Bosa returns. The 49ers gave up a 2027 fourth round pick, and the Colts received draft capital for a player who could have left in free agency after the season. The deal remains pending a physical, and San Francisco will confirm the roster move once that step is complete.